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Clema vs Gecko for college admissions websites

Both read your website and answer prospective students with sources. Gecko is a shipping platform with chat, texting, forms, events and CRM sync. Clema's website assistant is in early access. Here is how they differ today.

The short version

Gecko is the broader, more mature product for admissions today. Its public pages describe AI agents that cite their sources, live chat handoff into a shared inbox, pre-chat forms that create contact records, events, two-way texting, 50+ languages, bi-directional sync with CRMs such as Slate and Salesforce, and managed setup in about a week. Clema's website assistant is in early access. Its engine reads a site's pages and documents, pulls out deadlines, contacts and dated events, cites the page behind each answer and says when the site does not cover a question, and it has been proven on one U.S. K-12 district, not yet on a college. Lead capture and CRM delivery are in development; live handoff is not available yet. If you need a full engagement and lead capture platform this cycle, Gecko is ahead. If your main need is cited answers on your website and you want to shape an early-access product, talk to Clema.

Last reviewed November 2026

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What Gecko is

Gecko describes gecko.ai as "the governed AI Operating System", a platform for building AI agents and workflows that is "proven in higher education". Its engagement CRM, Gecko Engage, adds live chat, texting, inquiry forms and events for admissions teams.1,12

Clema is an early-access website assistant: it reads your public site and answers visitors with a link to the page behind each answer.

At a glance

Each Gecko cell links to the public page it came from. Each Clema cell shows where that feature stands today.

Website assistant

  • Reads your website and documents

    Gecko
    Crawls websites, including JavaScript-rendered pages and the PDFs they link to, plus SharePoint, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox and S3, and uploads of PDF, Word, CSV, JSON, Markdown and text files.3,1
    Clema
    BuiltBuilt in the engine: crawls the public site and reads PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and calendar files with no hand-picked source list. Proven on one K-12 district site; not yet run on a college site. Very long PDFs are read from the start, not in full.

  • Sources shown with each answer

    Gecko
    "Every answer records the sources behind it", with relevance scores. Gecko Engage says you can "see exactly which URLs it used for any reply".3,9
    Clema
    BuiltBuilt in the engine and the demo widget: every answer links to the page or file it came from, shown to the visitor as source chips.

  • Typed extraction of deadlines, contacts and dated events

    Gecko
    Not found: typed extraction of deadlines, contacts or events is not described on the public pages we read.
    Clema
    BuiltBuilt in the engine: pulls out contacts, dated events and key facts such as deadlines and fees, so a date question gets a date and its source. Tested on one K-12 district; not yet on a college site.

  • When the site does not cover a question

    Gecko
    Student services agents route "low-confidence cases" and sensitive topics to a human team. Per-agent minimum relevance scores drop weak results before the model sees them.2,3
    Clema
    BuiltBuilt in the engine: a check before each answer, and a plain "not covered" reply instead of a guess. Routing that question to the right office is in development.

  • Keeping answers current

    Gecko
    Re-crawls websites on a schedule (example shown: nightly), with on-demand re-scrapes; synced drives and SharePoint run on their own schedules (examples: every 6 hours, weekdays).3
    Clema
    In developmentRe-reads skip pages and files that have not changed. Scheduled automatic re-reads are in development; during early access we agree refresh times with you.

  • Content usage and gap reporting

    Gecko
    A page tree showing "Used in N answers" and last-used date, a Stats tab charting which URLs surface in search results, and "a clear view of content gaps".3
    Clema
    In developmentIn development. A report of questions your site could not answer, and usage analytics, are not available yet.

  • Curated answers and page exclusions

    Gecko
    A knowledge base with folders and a rich editor to "curate the answers you want agents to give", plus include and exclude patterns and one-click page exclusions.3
    Clema
    In developmentNo admin-written answer editor; answers come from your published pages. A screen to exclude pages is in development.

  • Languages

    Gecko
    "It supports 50+ languages", replying in a student's preferred language even when source content is in English.9vendor claim
    Clema
    Not availableEnglish. Other languages are not available yet.

  • Channels beyond the website

    Gecko
    One agent across web, Microsoft Teams, Slack, phone, SMS, email and API. Gecko Engage also lists Instagram, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.4,9
    Clema
    Not availableA website chat widget. Texting, voice and social channels are not available.

  • Embed and accessibility

    Gecko
    One generated script tag for a chat bubble, inline chat or AI search, with streaming replies shown in the demo, Shadow DOM isolation and origin allowlists. Embeds "target WCAG 2.2 AA", and the API rejects brand colors that fail contrast checks.4,1
    Clema
    Demo-gradeDemo-grade: a chat bubble from a short script with Shadow DOM, your name and colors. Replies arrive whole; streaming and inline or search embeds are not available. The dialog supports Escape and focus handling; no accessibility conformance is claimed yet. Domain allow-lists are in development.

Lead capture

  • Capture visitor details in chat

    Gecko
    Pre-chat forms collect name, email, program interest and custom fields before a chat starts, and create or update contact records. The chatbot "captures key details for follow-up".10,9
    Clema
    In developmentIn development. The assistant does not collect visitor details today.

  • Inquiry forms, QR codes and events

    Gecko
    Inquiry and application forms, QR codes for in-person events, and event scheduling, registration, capacity and check-in.12
    Clema
    Not availableNot available. Clema is not a forms or events tool.

  • CRM sync

    Gecko
    Offers "bi-directional integrations with major higher education CRMs", naming Slate, Salesforce, Dynamics and Ellucian, and Gecko says it "respects your CRM as the source of truth".12,8vendor claim
    Clema
    In developmentIn development, not live. Clema is designed to sit next to the CRM you already run.

  • Texting and consent

    Gecko
    Two-way texting and text campaigns, with "comprehensive consent management with automatic opt-out processing". Gecko states its messaging complies with TCPA.11vendor claim
    Clema
    Not availableNo texting. Consent capture for lead details is in development, alongside lead capture.

Help desk

  • Live handoff to staff

    Gecko
    Students can request a person or be escalated, and "full conversation context transfers" to staff. Phone agents warm-transfer callers.10,4
    Clema
    Not availableNot available yet. There is no live human handoff in the widget.

  • Shared staff inbox

    Gecko
    Chat conversations go into a unified inbox alongside emails, texts and social messages.10
    Clema
    Not availableNot available. Clema does not include a staff inbox.

  • Routing by page or topic

    Gecko
    Different behaviors, routing rules or bots can be set for specific pages or sections, and inquiries can go to admissions, financial aid or other teams based on responses.10
    Clema
    In developmentIn development. The engine already holds office contacts from your site; using them to route questions is not built.

  • Tickets

    Gecko
    IT agents can "raise a ticket that already contains the diagnosis". Tickets are created through a webhook step to your existing desk.2
    Clema
    Not availableNot available. No ticketing or help desk integration.

Setup and pricing

  • Setup

    Gecko
    "<1 wk to a production agent on average, with managed implementation". Fully managed, co-managed or institution-led delivery.7vendor claim
    Clema
    BuiltBuilt: our team crawls and sets up each site with you during early access, and you review sample answers from your own pages first. Self-serve setup is in development.

  • Try it on your own site

    Gecko
    Gecko Engage offers a "Try it now" demo, booked through a scheduling link, in which it trains its AI on your institution's data "in 60 seconds".8vendor claim
    Clema
    Not availableNo self-serve trial. In early access we show you answers from your own site before anything is installed.

  • Published pricing

    Gecko
    No prices on the pages read. Buying starts with "a 30-minute conversation, not a sales deck".7
    Clema
    Not availableNot published. During early access we agree scope and terms with each college directly.

Data and compliance

  • Student records

    Gecko
    Agents read and query Ellucian Ethos, the layer in front of Banner and Colleague, through its governed API, and Salesforce access is limited to each user's own permissions.5
    Clema
    BuiltReads your public website and has no access to student records, by design. We design with FERPA in mind; no FERPA certification is claimed.

  • AI model provider

    Gecko
    Choose from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Amazon Bedrock, Microsoft Foundry, OpenRouter or a compatible endpoint, and bring your own keys under your existing agreement.5,6
    Clema
    BuiltUses OpenAI models to read page text and write answers, disclosed up front. Choosing another provider is not available.

  • Training and retention terms

    Gecko
    "Gecko does not train AI models on institutional data." Gecko Engage lists consent management and data retention policies.6,8
    Clema
    Not availableNo written training or retention summary is published for this product yet. We walk through the current terms with you before anything is installed.

  • Security assurance

    Gecko
    "AWS hosted with SOC 2 and ISO 27001 assurance", a VPAT, SSO including SAML, audit logs, a public Trust Center and hosting in Ireland, the United States or Canada. Gecko Engage claims "full GDPR compliance".6,1,8vendor claim
    Clema
    Not availableNo SOC 2 report or other certification for the website assistant. The compliance statements on our homepage describe Clema for IR.

  • Guardrails and personal data

    Gecko
    "32 built-in detectors" for prompt injection and sensitive data, with personal data redacted or blocked before it reaches a model.1,6
    Clema
    Not availableAnswers are grounded in your pages and checked before sending. Moderation and redaction of personal details visitors type are not available yet.

Where Gecko is ahead today

  • Lead capture today: pre-chat forms that create or update contact records, inquiry forms, QR codes and event registration with check-in.10,12
  • A help desk layer: live handoff with full conversation context, a shared inbox for chat, email, texts and social, and routing by page or team.10
  • Two-way texting and text campaigns, plus phone agents, Teams and Slack, all from one agent.11,4
  • Two-way CRM sync with systems it names, such as Slate and Salesforce, and agent access to Ellucian Ethos, which sits in front of Banner and Colleague.12,8,5vendor claim
  • Content reporting: per-page "Used in N answers" counts, a Stats tab and a view of content gaps, plus a curated knowledge base with an editor and one-click page exclusions.3
  • More ways to embed: a chat bubble, inline chat or AI search from one script, with streaming replies, and staff approval before AI-drafted follow-ups are sent.4,1,2
  • Replies in 50+ languages.9vendor claim
  • Published security and accessibility detail: WCAG 2.2 AA target for embeds, a VPAT, SSO, audit logs, a trust center and a choice of hosting region and model provider.6,4
  • Track record: Gecko says 100+ institutions use Gecko AI, with named college case studies such as Amarillo College and Lamar University.7vendor claim

Where Clema differs

Built

Deadlines and contacts as structured facts

Clema's engine pulls deadlines, fees, contacts and dated events out of your pages and files, so for "when is the priority deadline?" it is designed to give the date, say whether it has passed, and cite the page it came from. Built and tested on one K-12 district; not yet run on a college site.

Built

Says so when your site does not cover it

Each answer is checked against your pages before it is sent. If the site does not cover the question, Clema says that plainly instead of filling the gap. Pointing the visitor to the right office is in development.

Demo-grade

A website assistant, not a new platform

Clema is one script on your site that reads what you already publish. It is designed to sit next to the CRM and messaging tools you use now. The widget is demo-grade in early access, and our team sets it up with you.

Built

From the team behind Clema for IR

Clema for IR answers questions from IPEDS, College Scorecard and your institutional data, and it is available today. Sending the questions your site could not answer back to the team that owns your enrollment data is in development.

Which one fits

Choose Gecko if

  • You need lead capture, inquiry forms and event registration working this recruiting cycle.
  • You want live chat with staff handoff and a shared inbox for chat, email and texts.
  • Texting campaigns, phone agents or social channels are part of your plan.
  • You need answers in Spanish or other languages now.
  • Procurement needs a trust center, VPAT, SSO and college references before you sign.
  • You want to build agents for other offices, such as IT or student services, on one platform.

Choose Clema if

  • Your main need is cited answers to public questions on your website, with dates and contacts pulled from your own pages.
  • You are comfortable with early access: team-run setup, no lead capture yet, and English replies.
  • You want to help shape a college version of an engine already proven on one K-12 district's public website.
  • You already use Clema for IR and want your website questions to connect back to that team over time.

Using both

They can sit side by side: Gecko for texting, events and CRM-connected follow-up, and Clema on public website pages. There is no integration between Clema and Gecko today, so the two would not share conversations or contacts.

Clema vs Gecko: common questions

Neither publishes pricing on the pages we read. Gecko starts with a booked 30-minute conversation and a scoped first use case. During early access, Clema agrees scope and terms with each college directly.

Sources

Every statement about another product links to one of these pages.

  1. 1.Gecko: homepage (gecko.ai), accessed 2026-11-06
  2. 2.Gecko: solutions (admissions, student services, IT), accessed 2026-11-06
  3. 3.Gecko: knowledge and retrieval, accessed 2026-11-06
  4. 4.Gecko: channels and voice, accessed 2026-11-06
  5. 5.Gecko: integrations, accessed 2026-11-06
  6. 6.Gecko: security, accessed 2026-11-06
  7. 7.Gecko: why Gecko (implementation and results), accessed 2026-11-06
  8. 8.Gecko Engage: homepage, accessed 2026-11-06
  9. 9.Gecko Engage: AI chatbot, accessed 2026-11-06
  10. 10.Gecko Engage: live chat, accessed 2026-11-06
  11. 11.Gecko Engage: texting, accessed 2026-11-06
  12. 12.Gecko Engage: admissions and enrollment, accessed 2026-11-06

Competitor details come from their public pages on the date shown. Product names are trademarks of their owners. Spot something out of date? Email us at [email protected].

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